Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07HAVANA993
2007-10-15 16:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:  

PORTUGUESE AMBASSADOR ON EU-TROIKA METING WITH GOC

Tags:  CU EU PGOV PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
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FM USINT HAVANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2390
INFO RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0004
RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 0001
RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0003
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0105
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0004
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000993 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2012
TAGS: CU EU PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: PORTUGUESE AMBASSADOR ON EU-TROIKA METING WITH GOC

REF: LISBON 2500

Classified By: DCM James Williams for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000993

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2012
TAGS: CU EU PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: PORTUGUESE AMBASSADOR ON EU-TROIKA METING WITH GOC

REF: LISBON 2500

Classified By: DCM James Williams for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Portuguese Ambassador to Cuba Mario Godinho de Matos
provided COM with a readout of the September 24 meeting
between a GOC team headed by FM Perez Roque and
representatives of the EU troika. In general, Godinho de
Matos, readout tracked with that obtained by Embassy Lisbon
(reftel) with a couple of substantive distinctions. Godinho
de Matos noted that the Cubans had lobbied hard to prevent EU
foreign policy chief Javier Solana from attending the
meeting. Solana did not, in fact, attend, though apparently
for reasons unconnected to the Cuban effort. Nevertheless,
Godinho de Matos said the Portuguese were struck by the
effort to keep Solana out.


2. (C) Godinho de Matos, description of FM Amado,s
statements to Perez Roque goes somewhat further than that
recounted in reftel. He said Amado insisted that Cuba must
make some kind of &gesture8 to overcome EU reservations
about a better relationship with Cuba, and suggested a
release of political prisoners might be such a gesture.
Perez Roque said such a gesture must be reciprocated with
respect to human rights issues affecting Europe (e.g., the
CIA flights and prisons noted in reftel). Godinho de Matos
said Perez Roque said Cuba only wants to be treated by Europe
the same way it treats China and Viet Nam. According to
Godinho de Matos, Perez Roque also said Cuba seeks to
strengthen its relations with the EU in the perspective of
its own &normalization8 and its relations with the U.S. He
apparently did not define &normalization8 further.


3. (C) Godinho de Matos, description, and that reported in
reftel, contrast to reports we got in conversations with our
colleagues from the Spanish and French embassies in Havana,
both of whom described the get-together as very successful.
The Spanish have argued for some time that merely sitting
down with the Cubans is solid progress, so their position is
not surprising. The French normally take a more realist
stance, so their views were somewhat surprising. Other
European, and some Latin American, contacts say they think
nothing substantive came from the Troika meeting, and that
nothing substantive is likely to come out of the human rights
meetings between Spain and Cuba scheduled for November.
Godihono de Matos indicated the EU will keep the channels
opne for discussion with the Cubans, but there are no plans
for a follow-up meeting yet


4. (C) On a separate note, COM also spoke briefly with the
Angolan ambassador who commented on President Dos Santos'
visit to Cuba and meeting with Fidel Castro (the two were
shown standing and shaking hands in prominent press photos
following Castro,s September 21 interview on Cuban TV).
Differing by 180 degrees from other analysts of the September
21 interview of Castro, the Angolan described the comandante
as mentally very lucid, but physically very weak. He also
noted that Dos Santos had complained to Raul Castro about the
high cost of Cuban doctors working in Angola ($5000.00 per
doctor) and Raul replied &I don,t do doctors, that is
(Fidel,s) issue.8


5. (C) Comment: While many of our European colleagues are
hesitant to get tough with the Cubans (except for the former
East Bloc countries),most are realistic enough to be
skeptical of the more proactive Spanish approach. As one
European diplomat put it, "The Cubans need us, not the other
way around. Why should we even consider meeting Cuban terms
for discussion?" With both parties in standoff mode, there
is not likely to be any further interaction between the GOC
and the EU in Havana during the remainder of the Portuguese
presidency. France will stand in for Slovenia, which does
not have an embassy here, and then begin its own term, making
it the lead EU interlocutor in Havana during the next full
year.



WILLIAMS